AutoBanter - View Single Post - Top Story on KTLA: People Abandoning Their Cars for the Train

Merritt Mullen

In article >,
(Brent P) wrote:

> In article >, Scott en Aztlán
> wrote:
>
> > This is how it starts, folks. Since the last time gas prices hit
> > $3/gallon a few weeks ago, Metrolink has ordered new cars and
> > announced plans to expand service. As the service gets better, more
> > people will find the train useful, more people will start taking the
> > train, leading to more service improvements, and so on, and so on, and
> > so on...
>
> Here is how it ends, because of the price of fuel and increased ridership,
> those who run metrolink decide to raise fares and cut service to cover these
> costs. Service improvements would consist of removing the durable
> materials from stations that have served for a 100 years and replacing
> them with very expensive modern construction which will look like crap
> inside of one year and maybe last 15. End result, higher cost, less
> effective transit. Least that is how the CTA would do it.

That may be how CTA (Chicago) would do it, but it certainly isn't how the
Southern Californian Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA, who runs Metrolink)
does it.

Service has been constantly expanding since it started back in 1992(?),
with plenty of future expansion in the plans. Fares have been adjusted
slightly for inflation (and, if market driven, should rise with demand).
Fixed infrastructure (tracks, stations, etc.) has been improved greatly
over what existed before SCRRA took over operation. Stations are built
with quality materials and with aesthetic consideration.

Even venerable Union Station (1939) is in better condition and is handling
more train and passengers than it ever did in the hayday of rail passenger
service.

Merritt